Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 4, 1994 TAG: 9403040119
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Voters in 77 cities and counties in Virginia have opted to elect their school boards.
Not in Roanoke.
"Maybe we have done a good job. I would like to think so," Pincus said.
Several nearby counties - Botetourt, Roanoke and Montgomery - have switched to elected school boards.
Roanoke County will have an election in November to choose three board members; two more members will be elected in November 1995.
Voters in 17 cities and towns will elect school board members in May.
But Roanoke has retained a system by which City Council appoints School Board members. In May, council will appoint three members for terms that begin July 1.
That could change soon.
Roanoke could switch to the election of School Board members if a petition drive to get the issue on the ballot is successful.
Some board members believe city voters are likely to approve the change if there is a referendum. Ten percent of the city's 41,000 registered voters must sign petitions to get the issue on the ballot.
"We see it coming, as something that may happen," Pincus said.
Petition-drive organizers collected signatures at the polls during Tuesday's Democratic primary.
Gloria Stinnett, who began circulating the petitions, said Wednesday that many voters signed the petitions. She did not have an immediate count.
"We were real lucky at the polls," she said, adding that some labor union leaders and political activists are helping her with the petitions.
Stinnett said the organizers are trying to collect 4,500 signatures, although 4,100 are required. They want to be sure they have enough valid signatures in case some are thrown out.
The petitions must be filed with the Roanoke Circuit Court by Aug. 10 for the issue to be on the November ballot.
Stinnett, a member of the city Democratic Committee who has worked in several political campaigns, said the petition drive is not an indictment of the current School Board.
She believes an elected School Board would be more accountable to voters.
Several board members said they prefer that the current system be retained. Some said they would not have run if Roanoke had had an elected board when they applied.
Pincus said he would not have run when he was appointed in 1990 because he had lived in the city less than four years. "I'm not the kind of person who would run for office."
Marilyn Curtis said the election of board members would not make them more accountable and independent, because the board would have no taxing powers.
"The board would still have to depend on City Council for the money for schools," said Curtis.
"I don't see that there would be any difference, because there would be no change in the finances," she said.
If an elected board does not have the power to raise funds, there could be a financial confrontation between the board and council, said James Turner, a board member for nine years. "I see no need to change what we have now," he said.
With the current system, the board has broad representation from various sections of the city, Turner said.
Mercedes James, president of the Roanoke Education Association, said she expects city voters to approve an elected School Board.
"We are realistic. We know it's likely to happen," James said.
The teachers prefer an elected board with the power to tax, she said, but they would not oppose the change.
If localities are going to have elected boards, Pincus said, the boards should have taxing powers. He believes that might happen in a few years. After elected boards began operating, he said, there might be a push to give them taxing authority.
by CNB